City of Boulder · department · P&DS
Planning & Development Services
“The Planning & Development Services Department collaborates with our community to define and implement an inclusive vision for the city’s future while consistently administering codes and policies to ensure the health, safety and well-being of the community.” source as of 2026-10-30
Who runs it
AI-read · unreviewed read by a model from the city's pages, the Charter, the code and the budget books; every quote checked against its saved source; not reviewed by a person. Hover a source for its words.- Head
- Brad Mueller, Planning and Development Services Director as of 2026-09-17 source source source as of 2026-09-17
- Answers to
- City Manager. A city department under the City Manager. The Charter has the city manager appoint and remove the directors of departments, and names the director of planning in particular as appointed and removable by the city manager. Head appointed by City Manager. source source source as of 2026-10-30
- Legal basis
- Charter Sec. 65 · creates · Administrative departments source
- Charter Sec. 77 · governs · Director of planning source
- Charter Sec. 78 · governs · Functions source
- BRC Chapter 9-11 · governs · Historic Preservation source
- Contact
- 303-441-1880 · 1101 Arapahoe Avenue Boulder , CO 80302 · Tuesday - Friday: 10:00 am-4:00 pm · contact page source as of 2026-10-30
Boards and commissions it staffs
- BVCP Update Process Subcommittee · City staff to the joint city-county subcommittee, with Boulder County Community Planning & Permitting source
- Board of Zoning Adjustment · Board secretary source source
- Design Advisory Board · Board secretary and urban design staff source source
- Landmarks Board · Board secretary and staff (Historic Preservation) source source source
- Landmarks Design Review Committee · A Historic Preservation Planner sits on the committee with two Landmarks Board members source source
- Planning Board · Board secretary and technical advisor (the director of planning under the Charter) source source source
Budget
from the city's approved budget books; each figure printed, to the dollar, in its source (hover a source for its words). A year may come from a different book or table than the next: the table says what each covers| Year | Basis | Amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | approved | $16,623,295 | All funds: department expenses, FY2024 budget column of the 2026 Annual Budget's department budget by program and expense type table source |
| 2025 | approved | $17,551,871 | All funds: department expenses, FY2025 budget column of the 2026 Annual Budget's department budget by program and expense type table source |
| 2026 | approved | $20,011,542 | All funds: department expenses, FY2026 budget of the 2026 Annual Budget (department budget by program and expense type table; the department page prints the same total) source source |
Divisions
in the city's own words; heads only where an official source names them- Comprehensive Planning · Kristofer Johnson, Senior Comprehensive Planning Manager source source
“Comprehensive Planning leads planning and policy development initiatives and ongoing programs in the areas of long-range planning, historic preservation, urban design and ecological planning.” source source page - Historic Preservation
“Historic Preservation works with the community to protect the places that tell Boulder’s story over time — from historic homes and architecture to neighborhood landmarks.” source source page - Development Review · Charles Ferro, Development Review Senior Manager source
“Development Review Planning reviews development projects for consistency with the city’s adopted code and policy documents and makes criteria-based decisions and professional recommendations to Planning Board and City Council.” source - Building Services
“Building Services establishes minimum requirements to safeguard public health, safety, general welfare and the environment through the effective application of city building codes, which determine standards for how buildings may be built, modified, occupied and maintained.” source - Engineering Review
“The Engineering Review and Inspection program is responsible for technical development review, permitting and inspection of work or impacting public rights-of-way and public easements.” source source - Code Compliance
“The Code Compliance team is responsible for enforcing city regulations involving land use, building code and residential rental property maintenance.” source source source page - Business and Support Services
“Business and Support Services administers all Planning & Development Services operations, including internal and external customer service.” source - Information Resources
“Information Resources supports the Planning & Development Services Department’s business systems.” source
What a resident can do here
services and programs, linked to the city's pages- Building Permits and Inspections “The city requires permits and inspections to ensure safe building, coordinated development, effective land use and high-quality site planning.” source
- Development Review and Plan Case Applications “The City of Boulder uses the development review process to evaluate proposed developments and land uses.” source source
- Zoning “Zoning districts regulate land uses and development for each property in the City of Boulder.” source
- Property Information “There are many resources available to help you to find property information.” source
- Accessory Dwelling Units “Information about Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in Boulder, including types of ADUs and how to apply for a permit.” source
- Rental Housing Licensing: Long-Term “Obtaining a rental license is the responsibility of the property owner.” source source
- Contractor Licensing source
- Landmark Alteration Certificate Application and Review “Landmark Alteration Certificate review ensures that Boulder’s landmarks and historic districts change in ways that maintain their unique historic character.” source
- Planning and Development Code Concerns source
- Floodplain Development Permits “Building or performing work on a structure in a floodplain has special requirements to help keep everyone safe.” source source
- Right-of-Way Permits source
- Planning & Development Services Hub source source